Gilbert Pulse for September 24, 2026: Gilbert’s gourd hunt starts Friday, plus Handel’s planned for Val Vista

• 🎃 The Great Gilbert Gourd Hunt starts Friday. Ray Villafane’s new pumpkin art and story-filled scenes take over the Heritage District.
• 🎉 Gilbert celebrates Hispanic heritage Friday. The town’s ¡Viva! celebration brings a dedicated cultural event to the weekend calendar.
• 🌽 Mother Nature’s Farm opens its fall festival. The pumpkin patch begins its daily run Friday and continues through October.
• 🍦 Handel’s is planned for Val Vista and Germann. The ice cream shop is known for homemade flavors and towering scoops.
• 🎟️ Four events are worth the drive Thursday. Mesa, Tempe, and Phoenix venues have music, theater, and basketball tonight.

The Great Gilbert Gourd Hunt begins Friday, bringing new pumpkin art and story-filled scenes by artist Ray Villafane to the Heritage District.

Key facts:

• Opening day: Friday, September 25.
• Location: The Heritage District along Gilbert Road.
• This year: All-new immersive art experiences shaped by Villafane’s pumpkin work.
• What visitors will find: Whimsical creations tied to local lore throughout the district.

What to watch: Event updates and visitor information will be posted on the Gourd Hunt listing.

Friday

🎉 ¡Viva! celebrates Hispanic heritage. Gilbert’s dedicated Hispanic heritage celebration is set for Friday. The event adds music, culture, and community programming to a busy opening weekend for fall events. Details.

🌽 Fall Festival begins at Mother Nature’s Farm. The annual festival opens Friday and runs daily through October, with a pumpkin patch offering pumpkins in a wide range of sizes. Details.

🎸 People Who Could Fly play O.H.S.O. The Gilbert band performs Friday at O.H.S.O. in the Heritage District. It is an easy live-music add-on for anyone already downtown for the evening. Details.

Saturday

📚 Saturday storytime meets at Southeast Regional Library. The all-ages family session begins at 10:15 AM, and tickets are required. Details.

🫙 Teens make stained-glass-style mason jars. Southeast Regional Library hosts the craft session Saturday at 2:30 PM for ages 13 to 17. Tickets are required. Details.

🍦 Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream is planned for Val Vista and Germann. The planned shop would bring homemade flavors and its signature oversized scoops to the intersection. Southeast Gilbert would gain another dessert stop without a drive to the Heritage District or SanTan Village area. Details.

🥪 Flancer’s says business has slowed. Owner Shane Lindsey said the nearly 27-year-old Gilbert restaurant has faced several difficult years as costs, competition, and a needed roof added pressure. For longtime customers, the update puts a familiar independent restaurant’s future into sharper focus. Details.

🏠 Typical Gilbert rent is about $2,074 a month. Zillow’s measure is up 1% over the past year. Details.

🎓 GPS College & Career Fair is Monday. Gilbert Public Schools (GPS, the district covering most of Gilbert) lists the fair for 6 PM on September 28. The evening gives high school families one place to compare college and career options. Details.

🏫 The GPS Governing Board meets Tuesday. The business meeting begins at 6 PM at 140 S. Gilbert Road. Families following district decisions can attend or check the board page for meeting materials. Details.

🎸 Get The Led Out in Mesa. The Led Zeppelin tribute band plays Mesa Arts Center’s Ikeda Theater at 7:30 PM. The closest Valley pick puts the catalog in a full theater setting. Tickets.

🌴 The Green in Tempe. The reggae band plays Marquee Theatre at 7 PM. A smaller Tempe room suits a band built around an easygoing live set. Tickets.

🏀 Phoenix Mercury host the Las Vegas Aces. The WNBA matchup is Thursday night at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix. It pairs Phoenix with one of the league’s marquee opponents. Tickets.

🎭 Les Misérables plays Phoenix Theatre. The musical begins at 1:30 PM Thursday at Stephenson Theatre. It is the afternoon option among this week’s Valley picks. Tickets.